European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week 2010
European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week is taking place from 24-30 January 2010. The Prevention Week is organised by the European Cervical Cancer Association (ECCA) and events will be taking place all over Europe to raise awareness about the disease.
As the lead ECCA member in Ireland, the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) has again partnered with CervicalCheck, the National Cervical Screening Programme, to promote the week and to ensure that Irish women become better informed about cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of early mortality among Irish women under 44, with over 90 lives lost to the disease and over 200 new cases diagnosed every year. Some 250 Irish women are newly diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and over 1,500 women are diagnosed with pre-cancerous lesions of the cervix.
The Pearl of Wisdom is the international emblem of cervical cancer prevention. During the awareness week the IFPA will distribute 20,000 Pearl of Wisdom badges to women around the country to encourage women to pass on the word to their peers about the importance of regular smear testing, which can save women’s lives through early detection and prevention.
This year the IFPA is also teaming up with the Irish Hairdresser Federation and all 300 member salons will help distribute the Pearl of Wisdom badges across the country. The idea is to give a badge and an information leaflet about CervicalCheck to every woman during her hair appointment for the duration of the week.
Many women consider a visit to a hair salon as “me-time”, a period when they have time to relax and reflect. This is an ideal opportunity to pass on some important messages about cervical cancer prevention and screening.
During the week the IFPA is calling on women to pass on the word about the importance of screening to their peers and to remember to make an appointment for a free smear test when they receive their invitation letter from CervicalCheck.
CervicalCheck will be running cervical cancer information sessions at a number of locations during the week.
Key Statistics on Cervical Cancer
- Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women under 44 worldwide. Each year, 500,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer are diagnosed globally and more than 250,000 women die from the disease.
- Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women under 44 in Ireland
- In Ireland 50% of all cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in women aged 46 and under. Average age of death from cervical cancer in Ireland is 56
- Mortality rates from cervical cancer have increased 1.5% per year since 1978
- Women resident in the most deprived areas had an incidence 2.6 times higher than those in the least deprived area
- 99% of cervical cancer is caused by persistent infection of certain high risk types of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
- HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world and approximately 50% to 80% of sexually active women contract some form of HPV at least once in their life. Only a small proportion will develop cervical cancer.
For more information contact Fiona Tyrrell, IFPA Communications Officer, fiona@ifpa.ie, T: 01 8069444
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